| Outcome | Conviction? | Admission? | Police record | Basic DBS | Standard / enhanced DBS | Spent | US ESTA risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cannabis warning | No | Yes | "Local systems" (APP); Sentencing Academy says PNC (sources conflict)[13][19] | No | Not automatic; may appear as police information on enhanced | n/a | Possible (see note) |
| PND (cannabis) | No | No | Recorded | No | Not automatic; may appear on enhanced | n/a | Possible |
| Community resolution | No | Yes | Local record | No | May appear on enhanced | n/a | Possible |
| Simple caution | No, but part of criminal record | Yes | PNC | No | Yes until filtered after 6 years (non-specified offence)[20][21] | Immediately | Likely relevant |
| Conditional caution | No, but part of criminal record | Yes | PNC | While unspent | Always while unspent; then filtered after 6 years | When conditions met / 3 months [unverified] | Likely relevant |
| Conviction: discharge / fine | Yes | — | PNC | Until spent | Filtered after 11 years if non-custodial and non-specified[20][22] | Fine: 1 year [unverified] | Yes |
| Conviction: community order | Yes | — | PNC | Until spent | Filtered after 11 years | End of order + 1 year [unverified] | Yes |
| Suspended sentence / custody | Yes | — | PNC | Until spent | Never filtered[21][23] | ≤1 yr: +1 yr; 1–4 yrs: +4 yrs [unverified] | Yes |
| Youth: community resolution / Outcome 22 | No | O22: no | Police systems | No | Not automatic | — | Possible |
| Youth caution / youth conditional caution | No | Yes | PNC | YCC while unspent | Youth cautions not automatically disclosed; YCC disclosed while unspent[24] | YCC when conditions met[25] | Possible |
DBS sources: Unlock; filtering rules as updated 28 November 2020 and 28 October 2023 (since then, unspent convictions and unspent conditional cautions are always disclosed).[24][26] ESTA note: the US ESTA form asks about violations of controlled-substance laws, and UK "spent" status does not bind the US. Check with the US Embassy before travelling [unverified — check current ESTA wording].
Arrest, interview and records
- Free legal advice at the station for everyone; appropriate adult for under-18s and vulnerable adults (PACE Code C).
- Caution: "You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence."
- Cautions and community resolutions require admitting the offence — take advice first.
- DBS (from 28 October 2023): youth cautions, reprimands and warnings are not automatically disclosed; all unspent convictions and conditional cautions are; minor convictions are filtered 11 years after becoming spent (5.5 years for youth).[4][40]
- Rehabilitation periods (adults): fine 1 year; community order spent at end; simple caution immediately; conditional caution 3 months or when conditions are met; custody ≤1 year: 1 year after sentence; 1–4 years: 4 years; over 4 years (non-excluded): 7 years. Youth periods are generally halved. Confirm with Unlock's calculator.
- ACRO handles subject access to the Police National Computer and police certificates.